Ford Focus 1.8 TDCI Ghia - £3,500 which hatchback diesel?

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Wed 14 Dec 2011 19:28
Ford Focus 1.8 TDCI Ghia - £3,500 which hatchback diesel? - ipsga

I've been scanning HJ and Autotrader religiously along with 'Googling' any reviews that I can get my hands on online.

I need to pick up a good little hatchback, economical with fair acceleration for around the £3.5 K mark and would welcome your opinions. I have had loads of MK4 Golfs which have been great but very costly in terms of the regular faults and annoying TEE lights.

I am very open minded but took a 1.8 Ford Focus Ghia out for a run and I really liked it, one thing that I have a big problem with is how big cars seem now, the bonnet, seating, overall width, everythig seems so much bigger ( I grew up in MK1 and MK2 Golf GTi's) even the Skoda Fabia for what it is seems bulky, however the older Focus to me, seems like I am driving a car not a safety bubble on wheels.

If you can recommend me another hatchback for £3,500 I would be very interested but so far this seems to give the most for the money?

Cheers

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Wed 14 Dec 2011 20:45
Ford Focus 1.8 TDCI Ghia - £3,500 which hatchback diesel? - oldroverboy

For that money try a Kia rio mk2, the one that has just been replaced, lots around and you'll get a newer car for your money. Watch out for faults on the focus, and don't forget a mk1 focus is going to be 7-8 years old, so consider carefully, as what warranty you get on the car will be important.

My own advice would be always to get the newest car possible even if it means a slightly smaller car/engine.

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Wed 14 Dec 2011 20:50
Ford Focus 1.8 TDCI Ghia - £3,500 which hatchback diesel? - ipsga

A very valid point OldRoverboy, cheers for that I will take a look into the Kia Rio then.Thanks

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Wed 14 Dec 2011 21:46
Ford Focus 1.8 TDCI Ghia - £3,500 which hatchback diesel? - oldroverboy

I have driven both the 1.2 and the 1.4 rio, both are good, but (personal point of view) the 1.4 better if to have any serious motorway miles to do. i got a second car that isn't all that popular, a chevrolet aveo, again lots of car for the money, vauxhall (almost) family 2 engines, cheap as chips for servicing... But personal choice after my experience of bow-teid customer services is the rio.

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Thu 15 Dec 2011 08:13
Ford Focus 1.8 TDCI Ghia - £3,500 which hatchback diesel? - Bobbin Threadbare

I had the Mk I Focus and I loved it to bits. Very fun to drive and a sensible size. My sister's partner (he shared the car with his mum for a while too) ran a Kia Rio in the dales of Yorkshire. It coped with everything that was thrown at it and it was very cheap to run. They aren't as small as you think they are though! It was very old when he traded it in.

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Fri 16 Dec 2011 09:20
Ford Focus 1.8 TDCI Ghia - £3,500 which hatchback diesel? - ipsga

Cheers I'll get a test drive. I did test out a Skoda VRS - which is the 1.9 TDi engine I believe and it was pretty impressive!

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